Tainted police unit stripped of its power and most personnel

MUMBAI: The Crime Branch Control, a unit responsible for conducting raids on those who illegally sell gutkha or adulterated petroleum, milk and other products and even pirated videos or books, is being dismantled gradually by Mumbai police after a spate of corruption complaints.
While the unit has for years been under a cloud of suspicion, the latest knock to its reputation came in December last year, when VP Road police arrested Sajid Mulla (36), formerly a constable attached to CB Control, and his aide, constable Nilesh Palkar of the Malabar Hill traffic division, for cheating and impersonating a public servant.


Posing as inspectors, the two allegedly threatened Pradeep Barik, a wholesale cigarette trader, and threatened to book him under the newlyamended Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. They allegedly extorted Rs2 lakh from him besides taking away cigarette packets worth around Rs40,000.
A proposal to dismiss Mulla under Article 311 of the Constitution has now been sent by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), under which the unit functions, to Santosh Rastogi, joint commissioner of police (administration). From there the file will be sent to the commissioner of police.
The unit has also been asked to take prior permission of the EOW for every action it takes. This is an attempt to break the alleged nexus between some corrupt police personnel and some of the accused. Thus, while nine cases were registered by the unit in 2018, no case has been lodged so far this year. Several senior police officers are also keeping tabs on the unit.
A senior police officer said, “The unit’s wings have been clipped. We want a fair and transparent office. We have sent a message that graft would not be tolerated at all.”
The controversial unit was under the crime branch until 2014, but was then brought under the EOW’s control through a notification. The post of EOW chief was upgraded from the rank of additional police commissioner to joint commissioner, making EOW a separate branch. “EOW specialises in probing white-collar crime. The job of CB Control is to raid and seize illegal products. Earlier, the unit had around 15 personnel. This has now been cut down to just five, including four constables who look after court cases,” a senior EOW officer said.
The staffers transferred from CB Control to other EOW units now help officers of the unit whenever the need arises, thus ensuring there is no monopoly enjoyed by personnel in terms of initiating action. “We have asked CB Control to take prior permission of senior officers before making any case. They will be provided manpower as per the requirement,” the officer noted.